In the early years of “American Idol,” I wrote a column lumping the song contest with reality TV in general and concluding, “This show is never going to produce memorable music.”
The piece got on the Google news feed, and I was bombarded for days with by far the most angry emails I’ve ever received.
The first lesson was to never tick off millions of people who are so emotionally invested in their favorite contestants that they’ll employ multiple means to cast dozens of votes week after week.
The more important lesson was to always consider the possibility I could be wrong.
My critique of “Idol” back then was that it produces “homogeneous pop stars” who lack “originality, flair or vision.”
The realization I was mistaken hit me like Hurricane Iniki when I heard Iam Tongi sing his tear-soaked version of James Blunt’s “Monsters,” in tribute to his recently deceased father.
I could only compare the feeling of being so blown away by voice and guitar to the first time I heard Joan Baez or Willie K. Enough originality and flair there?
FROM THE WAY TONGI had judges Lionel Richie and Luke Bryan crying with him, you could sense the 18-year-old Kahuku native would be this year’s “American idol” — and it was only his audition.
“You hit a nerve,” judge Katy Perry said. “That’s what great storytellers do. That’s what great artists do.”
Tongi’s “Idol” audition video has 16 million views on YouTube, the most of any “Idol” performance. No matter how many times you watch it, you cry. It’ll be a musical landmark that people will watch and cry to decades from now.
And he was no one-hit wonder. The judges continued to audibly gasp and shake their heads in appreciation week after week as Tongi creatively covered iconic voices such as Israel Kamakawiwo‘ole, Simon and Garfunkel, Alanis Morissette, Sam Cooke and Richie himself.
He was at his best when accompanying himself on his guitar. The compelling expression of his voice benefited little from heavy orchestration.
TONGI COMES ACROSS on first impression like the big, good-natured kid we all know. But when he starts to sing, he’s a savant at communicating the meaning and emotion of his song. It’s like he closes his eyes, goes to someplace magical only he can find and brings the music back.
The genius of his delivery was evident from the astonished looks Richie, Luke and Perry gave each other just a few notes into his audition.
Tongi, always modest and articulate in his interactions with judges, personified Hawaii local style and never changed his casual manner or dress as attention grew. He was just himself from start to finish.
He drew energy from the massive support in Hawaii, and Hawaii drew energy from his unassuming charisma and homegrown talent.
He’s still a teenager, and who knows what the future holds, but Richie probably had it right when he said upon first hearing Tongi’s voice, “Young man, you take this into the world and you’re going to fracture some souls.”
Reach David Shapiro at volcanicash@gmail.com.
